260 - Robin Williams: A Wonderful Mind's Rise and Fall

Timesuck with Dan Cummins

Robin Williams knew how to make people feel deeply. He could give you a belly laugh - or a cathartic cry. He knew how to entertain you in a way that only he could. He seemingly had so much energy it's like he vibrated around instead of walking like the rest of us. His mind seemed to move so FAST. And then his brilliant mind betrayed him. Or, rather, his mind just wasn't able to defend him from the cruel and degenerative disease of Lewy Body Dementia. With the diagnosis not coming until two years after his death, he had no idea why he was suddenly becoming more and more forgetful, confused, paranoid, and delusional. While he publicly continued making movies and tv shows, he privately suffered. And then on August 11, 2014, at the age of 63, he took his own life. Or, rather, Lew Body Dementia took it. A sad ending. But before that - what a life! From rich kid, to broke student, to struggling comic, to rocketing to fame and fortune with first Mork and Mindy, and then successful standup specials, and then classic films like Good Morning, Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Goodwill Hunting - Williams entertained hundreds of millions of people. And today we examine and celebrate his life - and even critique it a bit - while also learning about the disease that took him from us.
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